The realities of school interviews: A talk with Tutor Time International Nursery and Kindergarten 

In many developed countries, it’s not uncommon to see children as young as 6 months old attending school in the form of playgroups. As they move on to Nursery and Kindergarten, there are more and more requirements for young children, especially during interviews. In our latest discussion with Tutor Time’s Curriculum Experts, here are their tips to prepare for interviews.

Preparing for nursery and kindergarten interviews - A talk with Tutor Time’s experts

1. 1. Actually prepare. Some parents might feel like interview prep is too intense, but it can actually be done in a fun way. You just need to know what to prepare for and how to do it without it feeling like boot camp. 
   
   
2. 2. Common questions. Make sure your child knows how to answer general questions like “what is your name?”, “how old are you?”, “who do you live with?” and so on. Some questions might be harder, like “what do you like doing at school?” or “what do you do in your free time?” 
   
   
3. 3. Comprehension. The best way to practice for this is storytime. When reading, ask your child questions related to the storyline and see if they can answer. After reading, they can repeat the story back to you. 
   
   
4. 4. Sequencing. Schools often ask children about sequences, such as “what do you do before you go to bed?” They might have to verbally describe the sequence or line a set of cards up. 
   
   
5. 5. Sight words. Some kindergartens may test your child’s ability to read sight words, such as ‘it’, ‘me’, ‘is’, ‘my’, ‘no’, ‘we’ and so on. If that’s the case, you can practice with them beforehand. 
   
   
6. 6. Behavior and manners. Many kindergartens will make note of your child’s behavior, such as whether or not they raise their hand before talking and if they are able to sit still and listen. Practice proper behaviors beforehand. 

Remember that young children often don't understand the importance of doing an interview. They may be nervous being in a new environment surrounded by new people, and that's completely normal. The best you can do is understand what to expect and do some preparation beforehand.